Friday, March 20, 2009

The Obama Administration's halting oil and gas leasing in various parts of the country, and its obstructing plans for offshore drilling surely threaten our economic security and energy independence as few other things can. Add to this, Team Obama's reckless imposition of gargantuan and debilitating tax-and-spend programs on an already weakened economy, and you have a perfect recipe for an economic and security disaster. But, if the Obama ideologues have their way, more sinister developments are coming our way.

With 9/11 a faded memory, and in classic liberal fashion, the clueless Obama Administration is now poring over the Defense budget to see what funding can be diverted to bread-and-circuses and other socialist make-over programs.

Obama's well-practiced, snappy, but entirely unconvincing salutes while boarding the Presidential chopper nothwithstanding, his asking our vets to foot the bill for treatment of their combat injuries is but the latest example of the Administration's visceral hostility and cavalier attitude toward our military. Fortunately, the public outcry over this callousness caused the Administration to back off. But, if complacency is allowed to hold sway more threats to our military's well-being and our security are in the offing.

True to historical form, the liberal elites are myopically planning to cut and weaken our military and anti-terrorist capabilities, all in a single-minded effort to transform our once dynamic entrepreneurial Republic into a fetid, languid Euro-style socialist state. What is so patently obvious to even the least clear-eyed among us is the alarming reality that the Obama-Reid-Pelosi Triumverate's shamelessly buying votes and paying off political supporters on the grandest of scales, all to ensure their political power, has taken absolute priority over our nation's security.

In a scant 60 days in power, a microcosm of what's to come, the Democratic machine is already pushing a 10% across-the-board cut in Defense Department expenditures. (Surprise. Surprise.) And then, of course, there's the usual idealistic gibberish about drastically reducing our strategic nuclear capability and, via kumbaya diplomacy, to enlist the agreement of Russia, Iran, N. Korea, Pakistan, India, and those inevitable nuclear club aspirants to do the same. (Now, where have we heard that sophomoric blather before?) But, disturbingly, while this is going on there appears to be no appreciation on the Administration's part for the need to properly maintain and modernize our already aging nuclear arsenal.

Erroneously labeling the ABM system as "unproven" and "experimental"--this despite many breathtakingly successful tests--the Administration is seriously talking about suspending or altogether scrapping the anti-ballistic missile defense program, the only reasonably reliable asset capable of protecting the homeland and our allies from rogue missile strikes. (Brilliant! A return to MAD or unilateral disarmament, anyone?)

Symptomatic of some serious chinks in its defensive thinking, the Admin has banned coercive/enhanced interrogation of terrorist suspects, labeling such barbaric techniques as "torture". (No fair yelling or turning out the lights, guys.) And in the Team Obama's painful penchant for political correctness, they've now even abandoned use of the highly inflammatory term "war on terror". (I guess if you don't say it, it will go away. Are we sure a George Orwell protege isn't now in charge of Team Obama's national security-speak! Just wondering.)

To blindly placate their far left minions, the Admin has announced the closure of GITMO within a year with no rational alternative plan for properly detaining the remaining hardcore terrorists there. (How about the South Lawn or the Rose Garden, Mr. Prez! Better yet, why not mix them with American inmates where swift justice will surely be meted out.)

As if their withering, albeit stealth, assault on the 2nd Amendment isn't enough, it was reported last week that the Admin was quietly shutting down a program which qualifies pilots to carry firearms in cockpits. The Administration vociferously denied report, saying only that the $2 million funding for the program had been inadvertently diverted. Reportedly, funding for the program has been restored. (God, how I wish I could trust them.)

Over the objections of NATO, the Admin has offered to reneg on our pledge, that's p-l-e-d-g-e, to set up an ABM system in the Czech Republic and Poland, two of our staunchest allies, to guard against the growing threat of an Iranian missile strike on Europe. (Better we bargain away our allies' security than risk the irritation of our Russian "friends", huh? Gee, could it be that Neville Chamberlain's inspirational bust has now quietly replaced Churchill's in the Oval Office? Wouldn't be surprised.)

Team Obama is also voicing its firm objections to developing the new generation F-22 Raptor fighter to replace our aging fighters. (Incidentally, the F-22 is the only aircraft that will be able to penetrate Iranian air defenses on the very, very ever-so remote off-chance that the need for such a penetration arises. Ahum.)

And despite China's recent interception of an orbiting satellite, the Admin is opposed to "weaponizing space". (Could it be that the Admin is unaware that we are all very heavily reliant upon satellites for our communications and defense; that maintaining our offensive and defensive edge in space should never be negotiable? )

Team Obama is also planning to eviscerate the development of new combat technologies/systems. (Great! I'm certain that'll be reassuring to our bleeding troops in the field.)

What the liberal mindset never seems to grasp is that there is an inescapable correlation between effective diplomacy and our maintaining a dominant cutting-edge military capability. (Remember President Reagan's spending the USSR into oblivion?) For America to achieve success in any of its well-meaning, if not altogether misguided, diplomatic forays requires a comprehensive military capability second to none. Stubbornly ignoring the lessons of history in this regard serves only to increase our vulnerability and to render our diplomatic efforts null and void. (Surely, that's not their aim. Is it?)

But, not to worry. After the next attack, the surviving liberals will restore full funding for our anti-terrorist and other defense programs. (At least, I think that will be the case.) Oh, sure, some of us and our friends won't be around to see the pendulum briefly swing back to a 9/12 level of sanity, but, hey, ya' can't live forever. Get over it.

In any event, hold your dear ones close, folks. We are in for a wild ride over the next 3 years, 10 months. Our way of life and, yes, our very lives are on the block. And if Americans of all political persuasions don't remain vigilant and fully committed to pushing back to stop Team Obama's shortsightedness, incompetence andgross mismanagement of our resources and military strength, our Republic is all but doomed.

About Me

Retired 2003 as Assoc. Dir. Refugee & Immigration Services in Rochester. A Vietnam veteran (Captain, Infantry/Civil Affairs/Psy Ops), spent many years in Southeast Asia, Africa, Subcontinent managing disaster relief and development projects. Am a small businessman and keenly interested in history and the Constitution. Concerned that our country is being inexorably drawn toward Socialism and that Americans are unwittingly abandoning our founding governing principles and, in the process, our liberties, way of life and economic vitality, and disillusioned with the radicalized Democratic Party, became a member of the Greece and Monroe County Republican Committees until July 2012 when I became a registered member of the Conservative Party. Although politically conservative and a constitutional originalist, I welcome all constructive opinions. Only through common-sense dialogue, objective evaluation of opposing patriotic viewpoints, and a studious adherence to the Constitution can we all learn and develop responsible positions which will benefit our Republic. Member of Rochester Conservatives, the Tea Party, American Legion, Vietnam Vets of America, Gun Owners of America, NRA.